Endura, the well known Scottish brand, is known for its well-designed and made biking gear, and these gloves live up to expectations, keeping chill at bay in temperatures down to around 32F/0C. To see how they compare against other MTB winter gloves see our best winter gloves group test.
Design and specifications
These tick all the boxes for a warm winter glove. They’re well constructed and boast a waterproof, breathable internal membrane plus PFC-free DWR finish. The stretch softshell backhand and fingers feature rubberised protection across the knuckles for added durability, and this also covers the top of the cuff. Inside is PrimaLoft Gold Active insulation and a soft microfleece lining. The suedette palm has silicone print for extra grip, as do the forefingers, and the fingers – and thumb – are touchscreen-compatible. The glove is finished off with a usefully generous snot wipe covering the whole top of thumb.
Performance
These are a rare find – ‘waterproof’ gloves that are actually waterproof, and don’t let water in at the seams. After a couple of months’ muddy wear and several tumbles through the washing machine, they stayed true and dry inside after a few minutes held under a strong shower jet, despite the outside wetting out (the DWR finish no longer apparent). Even when sodden wet, the fingers still worked with touchscreens too.
Likewise, they really keep your hands warm in icy conditions, blocking wind chill. I’m prone to numb fingers and the Enduras definitely kept them warm longer than other winter gloves, and they’d warm up again once cold too. They didn’t get too sweaty inside either, and the cosy lining is sewn in so there’s no risk of pulling it out when you take the gloves off. It’s comfy too; I couldn’t feel any seams inside. The long cuff helps keep the warmth in as it protects your wrists and tucks inside jacket cuffs – as long as these aren’t too tight because it is quite bulky, especially with the Velcro tab.
Even when wet and muddy, the grip on the bar was good and using shifter and dropper paddles no issue. As for fit, I’m a medium according to the size guide, and that felt fine when they were on (though I’d appreciate a smidge longer fingers). However, the elasticated cuff is a bit tight and this made them harder to pull on if my hands were wet (from rain) or if the lining was a little sweaty. If you don’t tend to take your gloves off mid-ride this won’t be an issue, but on longer rides when we stopped to layer up or eat I found I needed to remove them as with their warmth comes bulk, and loss of dexterity. It was tricky to feel for zip pulls, for example, and to grab the Velcro tab of the second glove to fasten it. However, these are minor niggles for an otherwise excellent pair of winter gloves.
Verdict
These are very good winter gloves indeed. Lightweight, warm, properly waterproof and not a bad price considering their performance. And Endura offers a no-quibble refund or replacement policy within 90 days of purchase. Check the fit before buying if you can though, as the cuff opening is snug.
Tech specs: Endura MT500 Freezing Point waterproof gloves
- Price: $ 69.99 / £64.99
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Colors: Black
- Features: Waterproof membrane, PrimaLoft Gold Active insulation, microfleece lining, touchscreen-compatible fingers & thumb
- Materials: Elastane 15%, PU 20%, Nylon 25%, Polyester 40%
- Rival product: 100% Hydromatic gloves
